AUGUST 21 | Birthdays and Events
Famous Birthdays
People born on August 21
Medora de Vallombrosa
Died: March 2, 1921 (age 64 years)
Heiress who married rancher Marquis de Morès, who named the city of Medora, North Dakota after her.
Count Basie
Died: April 26, 1984 (age 79 years)
Critically-acclaimed jazz musician who was a skilled jazz pianist and organist.
Wilt Chamberlain
Died: October 12, 1999 (age 63 years)
One of the greatest NBA players of all time. He is the only player to average 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a season.
Kenny Rogers
Died: March 20, 2020 (age 81 years)
Country music legend who had over 120 hit singles across multiple genres, selling over 100 million records.
Steve Case
Co-founder of AOL.
Stephen Hillenburg
Died: November 26, 2018 (age 57 years)
Marine biologist and animator who created SpongeBob SquarePants.
Historical Events on August 21
Events that occurred on August 21 throughout history
Pueblo Indians capture Santa Fe.
Pueblo Indians capture Santa Fe from the Spanish during the Pueblo Revolt.
James Cook formally claims eastern Australia for Great Britain.
James Cook formally claims eastern Australia for Great Britain, naming it New South Wales.
Nat Turner leads black slaves and free blacks in a rebellion.
Nat Turner leads black slaves and free blacks in a rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia. The uprising resulted in the deaths of 55 white people. Turner was captured and executed for causing the rebellion.
The American Bar Association is founded.
The American Bar Association is founded in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Association was created to set rules and set regulations for attorneys across the country.
An F5 tornado leads to the creation of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
An F5 tornado strikes Rochester, Minnesota, leading to the creation of the Mayo Clinic. The town lacked the ability to treat the injured and care for the dead, sparking the need for a permanent hospital to be built.
The first successful adding machine is patented in the U.S.
The first successful adding machine is patented in the U.S. William Seward Burroughs' machine design corrected problems in previous-patented adding machines.
The Olds Motor Vehicle Co. manufactures the first Oldsmobile.
The Olds Motor Vehicle Co. manufactures the first Oldsmobile. The company produced only four vehicles that year. By 1903, Oldsmobile became the top-selling car company in the U.S.
The Mona Lisa is stolen.
The Mona Lisa is stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a Louvre employee. He travelled to Italy to try to sell the painting, but the buyer called the police after verifying its authenticity. Peruggia later claimed he was returning the painting to Italy because he believed Napoleon Bonaparte stole it.
Hawaii becomes the 50th state to join the Union.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an executive order proclaiming Hawaii as the 50th state of the union.
James Anderson Jr. is the first African American Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
James Anderson Jr. becomes the first African American U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously. Private First Class Anderson used his own body to shield his comrades from an explosion near Cam Lo in the Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.
PETA is founded.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is founded by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco. The organization has grown into the largest animal rights organization in the world.
